Ironing-board.



E. L. SELLS.

IRONING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.16, 1915.

1,136,445, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

. I [FM/673257 mafia Mmlnfeiia THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTD-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D I

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EDNA L. SELLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IRONING-IBOARD.

icense.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Apr. 2%, 1915.

Application filed January 16, 1915. Serial No. 2,517.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDNA 'L. SELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ironing boards and has especial reference to boards made of a plurality of separable pieces, or sections to contract the longitudinal dimensions thereof, that it may occupy smaller space for storing or shipping. 7

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a board structure that is divisible into two or more separable parts so that it may thus be contracted as a whole to occupy smaller, longitudinal dimensions and may be inclosed within atrunlr of usual size, thereby being adaptable for occasional use by persons traveling from place to place.

Another object of my invention is to generally improve boards of this character whereby to simplify and cheapen the constructionand to render the composite board as stanch and unyielding as if it were made of a single piece, preventing sagging, warping or accidental separation of the parts.

Other and further objects of my invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the extended board showing the manner of supporting it for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view looking at the bottom of the board. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts separated and in the position they occupy when thus contracted for storing or shipping. Fig. 4c is a section taken on line t% of Fig. 1.

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

In the particular exemplification which I have chosen for a clear disclosure of my invention, the board is divisible into major and minor portions 5 and 6. Each of these portions is three ply being composed of three layers of relatively thin boards 7, 8 and 9. The two outside boards of the lam- 11136, '7 and 9, have their grain running longitudinally of the board, the lnner member of the lamina 8 has its grain running transversely of the board. By this mode of con struction, the outside laminae, which are the stronger are most advantageously placed to resist lateral or downward deflection when weight is applied to the upper surface of the board, as in ironing, and the transverse grain will resist any stress due to a tendency of warping.

On the underside of the major portion 5 of the board is secured two parallel cleats 11 and 12, each provided with longitudinally extending and confronting grooves, as clearly shown in Fig. a, and similar cleats, 13 and let, in parallel planes are secured to the minor portion 6 of the board so that the tongues of the latter cleats will fit in the grooves of the former cleats, and permit telescopic movement of the parts, one pair of cleats within the other. T 1e tongues and grooves of the cleats 11 and 12 with reference to the cleats 13 and 11 are substantially in the respective transverse centers, so when the cleats are reversed, as shown in Fig. 3, they will cooperate in the same manner as when placed in the positions shown in Fig. 2. Cleats 11 and 12 are provided with notches 15 and 16 near their respective ends, and cleats 18 and 14 are provided with similar notches 17 and 18 near their respective ends, and centrally of the board and in practically the same transverse planes as are the notches are secured tapes 19 and 20. Hooks 21 and 22 are secured to the major portion 5 and are adapted to engage staples 28 and 21 of the minor portion, or vice 'versa, to hold the parts together when they have been placed in operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to prevent accidental longi tudinal separation.

The top surface of both sections of the board may be covered with a sheet of felt, or other suitable material 25 secured to the lower edge of the structure, as at 26, by means of tacks or otherwise, if desired.

When the two sections of the board are eX- tended, as shown in Fig. 2, it may be placed on a bed frame support 26, with the top rail of the bed 27 entering the notches 17 and 18, at one end of the board, and on the top of a chair 28, for example, with the notches 15 and 16 at the other end of the board, overlyin the slat in the top of the back of the chair, and the tapes 19 and 20 may then be tied around the supports provided by the bed and chair, or by two simi lar chairs, as the case may be, as shown at 29 and 30, respectively, thereby preventing the notches from leaving their respective supports and holding the board in convenient position ready for use.

After the board has been used and it is desirable that it should be contracted and made ready for shipment, it is only necessary to loosen the tapes 19 and 20 and to lift the board from its supports and then to open the hooks 21 and 22 from the staples 23 and 24k and to separate the two parts by pulling them apart. Then the minor part 6 is reversed, with reference to the major part 5, and enter the cleats, one within the other, so that the bottom side of the boards when in use will be confronting, or in such positions that the cleat 13 will cooperate with cleat 12 and cleat 14 will cooperate with cleat l1, and then slide the two parts together, as shown in Fig. 3, so that they will occupy the longitudinal space formerly occupied by the major portion only. The dividing line 31, between the major and minor portions 5 and 6, is supported by the adjacent projecting ends of all the cleats, so that there will be very little, if any deflection at this part of the board, when downwardly directed pres sure is applied to the top surface thereof, as when it is supported in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The space between the major and minor portions of the board, when contracted may be filled with collars,- ends and other like wearing apparel so that there need be actually no waste space in the trunk or other receptacle in which the board is to be contained, when being shipped or transported from place to place.

lVhile I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention for the purpose of clear disclosure it is manifest that many slight changes in the formation and disposition of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. An ironing board divided into two parts in atransverse plane; a pair of cleats secured to the under side of each part, one pair projecting beyond the meeting edges of the parts when said parts are placed end to end, the members of the respective pairs being slidably engageable, and engageably reversible with respect to the other members whenthe board parts are reversed and means to prevent separation of the cleats. w

2. An ironing board divided into two parts, in a transverse plane; two slidably engaging pairs of. cleats, one pair secured to the under-side of each part of the divided board and having their proximate ends extending beyond the joining edges of said parts, said pairs of cleats being relatively reversible so that the two parts of the board may thereby be held together when the parts are relatively reversed and axially moved toward each other.

3. An ironing board; a plurality of pairs of cleats secured on the under side thereof, said cleats provided with notches near their outerends and tapes secured to the board near said notches.

4. An ironing board divided into two parts in a transverse plane; a pair of cleats secured to the under side of eachpart, one pair within the other pair and slidably engaging, said cleats provided with notches near their outer ends and tapes secured to the board near said notches.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

EDNA L. SELLS.

In the presence of Fonn'n BAIN. MARY F. ALLEN.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, .D. G. 

